by T. J. Quinn
“I’m sure you are.”
She showed them around the place, making sure they visited the underground farms where they grew most of the food they had in the caves as well as some animals. She also showed them all the services they offered the residents and once more the men had to admit they were impressed.
“I felt the same way when I got here. They are doing a terrific job, and I’m happy to be a part of it,” she said, as they walked towards the dining room.
“I understand how you feel,” Jarcor said. “To keep a place like this hidden, it must take a lot of work.”
“It does. We also have people on the outside, occupying very important positions helping us. They keep us informed of the government’s upgrades and suspicions, and that allows us to stop them before they get too close.”
“Has Sandra been here from the beginning?” he asked, leading the questions to where he wanted them.
“Yes, she’s one of the founders. She rules this place with the help of a council formed by several members, and all the hideouts are handled the same way,” Marisa explained.
“How do you become a member of that council?” he asked.
“By merit. The first council was formed by some of the founders, but they have been changed over the years. Sandra is one of the few still on it.”
“What about her daughter?” he finally asked, trying not to show how much he was interested in the woman’s answer.
“You mean Sabrina?” she asked, and for a moment, Jarcor’s heart stopped beating. He had been right. “She’s not really her daughter, though Sandra loves her and her child as if she was her family.”
“So she told us,” he said, eager for more details. “Is she part of the council at the Montana hideout?”
“She is, but not because she’s so close to Sandra. As far as I know, Sabrina was the founder of that hideout. After she gave birth to her daughter she needed a more suitable place to raise her, and after looking for a while, she finally decided to buy the ranch,” she explained. “The place is huge, and they are hidden in plain sight. People around the area think they are part of some strange cult and no one goes near the place.”
“That’s a smart idea,” Rafaroy said, showing his admiration.
“Does she live there with her husband?” he finally asked, his heart drumming in his chest as he waited impatiently for the woman’s reply.
“No. She’s all alone with her daughter. No one knows who Luciana’s father and no one dares to ask. Sabrina is not a very sociable person. You only see her relaxed when she’s playing with Luciana.” There was a sad tone in Marisa’s voice. “That girl needs some happiness in her life.”
The woman’s words acted as a balm in Jarcor’s soul. He knew he had no right to feel that way, but he admitted he was relieved she was alone. She had stolen his heart five years ago, and he wanted a second chance with her. He knew he didn’t deserve it, not after the way he had pushed her away from his life, with no explanation whatsoever, but he needed it.
They reached the dining room, and the subject changed. People around them wanted to know more about Arcadia and the way they lived there, and they obliged by telling them tales from home.
They were finishing their meal when a commotion outside warned them of the arrival of the cyborgs and the people they had rescued.
The following hour was a bit chaotic, as the people from the caves welcomed the newcomers and the cyborgs cheered the arrival of Jarcor and Rafaroy.
Most of the cyborgs stationed in the caves had partners, and they were proud to introduce them to Jarcor and Rafaroy. Those that hadn’t been lucky enough to find their ‘matches made in heaven’, as Marisa called them, were the ones staying behind to help the cause.
“Are you sure you want to stay here?” Jarcor asked them.
“Yes, we are. We know our chances of finding someone on Arcadia are next to none, so we rather stay here for a while longer,” one of them explained.
In fact, the three cyborgs they had rescued on that mission, shared their opinion and wanted to stick around for a while longer.
Jarcor nodded. “It’s your decision. Whenever you feel it’s time to leave, all you have to do is let us know.”
They nodded, and Jarcor walked away. He knew how hard it was for the single men in Arcadia, especially now that some men had formed families. Perhaps, he should use Marisa’s services to find them their matches. With the war still going on, he was sure many women wouldn’t say no to leaving the planet.
The following day went by with the making traveling arrangements for the cyborgs leaving the planet. They would need to make several trips to take them all to the main vessel still orbiting the planet, but Jarcor preferred it to bringing a bigger vessel into the planet’s atmosphere. Though they did their best to go unnoticed, there was always a risk, one he wasn’t willing to take.
“You were telling me the other day you needed a landline or a wireless one to work on your hacking,” Sandra told him, while Rafaroy carried the last couple cyborgs up to the main vessel. When he returned, they would leave for Montana to pick up Bretdon.
“Yes, that’s right.”
“You should ask Sabrina for her help. She has a small cabin, up in the mountains, fully equipped you should be able to use. She still goes up there once in a while, so I’m sure it’s still functional.”
The woman had to be talking about the cabin where he had met Sabrina. The place would bring him all sorts of memories, but Sandra was right, the place was perfect for what he had in mind.
All he had to do was convince her to go with him. Perhaps Sandra wouldn’t mind babysitting the little girl for her.
“That sounds perfect,” he agreed.
“I think she won’t be using it, since she’s told me she needed to travel to the east coast, to one of our hideouts there,” the woman continued. “She asked me to take care of Luciana during her absence, so I was wondering if you could give me a ride to Montana.”
Jarcor frowned as he realized she was escaping from him. It was probably arrogant of him to think she would bother to do so after all those years, but he was sure of it. She didn’t want to see him, and her message was loud and clear.
“If that’s alright with you, of course,” Sandra added, puzzled with the dark expression on his face.
He shook himself out of the darkness that covered him. “Yes, of course, you’re more than welcome to travel with us. In fact, if Marisa wants to come too, to say goodbye to Bretdon and his family, she’s welcome,” he assured her. “Just be ready to leave as soon as Rafaroy returns.”
“Thank you, that’s an excellent idea. I’ll go talk to her immediately.”
Chapter Six
Sabrina packed her things as fast as she could, cursing herself for not thinking this could happen.
When she heard Jarcor had come to pick up the cyborgs himself, she hadn’t been thrilled. After all those years, she didn’t want to see him again. She was sure he didn’t even remember she existed and that was fine with her. She had long forgotten him as well.
At least, that was what she kept repeating to herself like a mantra. Of course, she would never be able to entirely forget him, not with his eyes looking at her each time she met her daughter’s. But she had left in the past, the brief affair they had shared.
Even so, she had no intentions of seeing him again. She still remembered how his presence had affected her, and she wasn’t willing to have those feelings reawakened. She would only end up hurt when he decided it was time to go back to Arcadia, leaving her behind with a broken heart.
Sandra told her he would be staying on Earth for a while, but as far as she knew, he would be far away from Montana, at least, after he came by to pick up Bretdon and his family. The other two cyborgs living at the ranch would stay for a while longer, helping them with their missions and keeping the bad guys away.
She only needed to leave the ranch for a couple of days, and everything would be alright. She told everyone she would go v
isit one of their hideouts in New York, but she decided to go to her cabin in the mountains. It wasn’t that far, and she would be perfectly fine there for a few days, while she waited for him to leave.
A soft knock on her door dragged her out of her thoughts.
“Come in,” she said, zipping the small bag she was taking with her.
The door opened up to allow Ophelia in. “So, it’s true. I heard you were leaving,” her friend said, with a slight frown.
She pasted a faint smile on her face before she turned around to face her friend. “Yes. I really need to go to New York,” she said, trying to sound as convincing as possible.
“Why? I thought you would be here when we left,” Ophelia protested.
“They really need my help there, and we still get to say goodbye, even if I’ll be the one leaving and not you,” she replied.
“I know it’s silly, it’s just, I was counting on you to help me with this.” The woman let herself fall seated on the bed. “I know this is for the best, and that Arcadia is almost identical to this planet, but it won’t be home. I’m leaving all my friends and family behind,” she confessed her worries, wriggling her hands nervously.
“It’s natural you feel like that, but you’ll make new friends there, and you won’t have to live worrying about a government’s incursion. You’ll be able to raise Gideon with no fear,” Sabrina pointed out. “Can you imagine what the government would do to him if they got their hands on him?” she asked, exteriorizing one of her greatest fears.
Ophelia almost jumped up. “I hadn’t thought of that. Gideon is the evidence cyborgs are human and that they can breed on their own,” she said, oozing fear from each of her words.
“Exactly. They would imprison you, and they would take Gideon to one of their training camps. You would never see him again,” Sabrina added. “I know things won’t be perfect in Arcadia, but in any case, you’ll be safe.”
Ophelia nodded. “You’re right.”
Sabrina had been thinking about that, a lot, lately. Though she had been able to hide Luciana’s fatherhood so far, she knew it was only a matter of time for people to start noticing just how different she was from the other children.
The possibilities she had described to Ophelia often haunted her nightmares, but she wasn’t sure which was the best way to handle the situation. If she admitted Luciana was half cyborg, people would start wondering who the father was and she wasn’t sure she wanted Jarcor to know about it.
Her rational side kept telling her he had the right to know. But she dreaded the idea he would think she was trying to force him to accept something he probably wasn’t interested in. After all, he had left her without looking back and as far as she knew he hadn’t looked for her in all those years. She knew he had escaped a long time ago.
Either way, she wasn’t ready for that confrontation. She needed to decide what to do and how to do it before she was forced to see Jarcor again.
“You know I’ll miss you a lot. But, who knows, perhaps you can invite me over once you’ve settled down in Arcadia,” she suggested with a fake cheerful smile. Ophelia didn’t need more drama in her life at the moment.
“Of course, I will. In fact, nothing would make me happier.”
Sabrina hugged her friend. “It’s a deal, then.”
Ophelia got up. “When are you leaving?”
“Right away. I want to travel as far as possible before the night falls.”
“Will you be taking Luciana with you?”
“Not this time.”
She thought there was no danger leaving her daughter at this time. Sandra would come to take care of her in her short absence, and since Jarcor had already seen her and shown no signs of recognizing her, she doubted that would change. Luciana would be a lot safer at the ranch.
“Well, I hope you have a safe journey, and we’ll be in touch as much as possible,” Ophelia said, with a sad tone.
Sabrina hugged her. “We certainly will. Enjoy your new life, Ophelia, you deserve it.”
“Thank you.”
They left the room and Sabrina went to the kids’ playground, confident she would find Luciana there. She had told her daughter she was leaving and she was alright with it. For a four-year-old girl, she was very mature, and everybody thought she was at least two years older. She was very independent as well, and after being raised in a place filled with so many people that were like family to her, she never felt alone.
“Are you ready to leave, mamma?” she asked, running to meet her.
“Yes, sweetheart. Please, listen to your Aunt Marjorie and Granny. Don’t give them a hard time while I’m away,” she warned her.
“Me? You know I’m a good girl,” she protested, but the naughty grin on her the little girl’s face told a whole different story.
“Of course, you are.” She hugged her daughter. “Stay away from trouble, please. I’ll call as often as possible.”
She nodded with a cheery smile. “Just have some fun, mamma, you need to get some rest,” she advised, as she hugged her back, for a few seconds before she returned to where she had been playing with her friends.
Next, to her, Ophelia chuckled. “Luciana is an extraordinary little girl.”
“Yes, she is. She gave meaning to my life in a very dark moment,” she confessed, with a smile. “I should be going now. Take care,” she said, saying goodbye to her friend, and heading to the modified Motorstorm she used for her travels.
Fast and silent, it traveled across the woods quite effortlessly, making it easier to evade the troops and their checkpoints. She would be arriving at her cabin the following day at night, but the ride was worth it.
Jarcor landed their vessel near the main building of the ranch. A small welcome committee waited for them, and a few moments later they were greeting them. Bretdon was among them.
“It’s good to see you again,” the other man said, greeting them.
Though Bretdon had only seen Jarcor once before, he had served with Rafaroy in the same unit. He introduced them to the people around them, including his partner Ophelia and his little son Gideon.
“It’s a pleasure knowing your family,” Jarcor assured him.
He had been looking around, trying to find Sabrina, even though he knew she had already left the ranch. Her daughter, on the other hand, was there, welcoming Sandra with hugs and kisses.
“Has your mother already left?” he heard Sandra asking.
“Yes, granny, a long time ago,” the little girl replied.
“Have you been a good girl in her absence?” Sandra asked, with a smile.
“I’m always a good girl,” she protested, with a naughty grin. Noticing Jarcor’s interest in her, she turned around to look at him. “Hi, Jarcor, remember me? We talked the other day,” she asked, with a smile.
“Hello, Luciana. Yes, I remember you,” he replied, finding it harder to look at her and not think of her mother with another man.
The sting of betrayal was so painful he scowled. He knew he didn’t have the right to feel that way, but he didn’t seem able to avoid it.
“Will you stay here, for a while?” she asked, walking towards him and sliding her hand in his.
Jarcor froze for a moment, surprised with the girl’s action but for some reason, he wasn’t able to push her away. “Yes, I will.”
“Can I take you to your room? I know the whole place,” she offered, smiling at him.
Her smile was identical to Sabrina’s, and for a moment, Jarcor felt he was looking at her, and his heart missed a beat. “Yes, of course, that would be nice,” he managed to finally utter.
Happy, the girl turned to a woman not far from them. “Aunt Marjorie, where is Jarcor staying? I want to take him to his room.”
The woman smiled, apparently used to the little girl’s behavior. “Well, sweetheart, you can take him to the green apple room. I’m sure he’ll enjoy it,” she said.
“Perfect. Come, I’ll show you,” she said, pulling Jarcor’s hand.
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He resisted, wanting to discuss a few things with Bretdon and the people in charge of the place, but they all invited him to follow the girl.
“We can talk later,” Bretdon assured him. They wouldn’t leave until the following day.
He nodded and allowed the girl to guide him to the main house.
Chapter Seven
“I’m glad they gave you the green apple room. It’s close to mine,” she explained.
“Why would you want to have me near you? You don’t know me,” he asked, puzzled by the girl’s attitude.
“I know, and yet I feel I’ve known you my whole life,” she assured him, and her words were so genuine, so meaningful he was surprised to hear them from a girl that was supposed to be very young.
“How old are you?” he asked, too curious to hold back the question.
But the girl shrugged and didn’t answer. “I have no idea. It’s not important,” she said, releasing his hand and running ahead of him towards a door at the end of the hallway.
Surprised by her answer, he wanted to insist on the subject, but it was evident she wouldn’t give him a straight answer.
“This is your room. You can leave your backpack here, and I’ll take you back to where Bretdon and the others are,” she suggested, with a smile.
“Thank you, I would appreciate that.” He left his bag over a chair and turned to leave the room.
A few moments later they were in a conference room, where Bretdon was assembled with Rafaroy, the other two cyborgs living there and a few other people. Luciana left him at the door and disappeared running down the hall.
“Do you like your room?” Bretdon asked.
“Yes, of course. But I won’t be staying long. Like I told you, I need to find a place with a landline,” he said, taking a seat at the table.
Sandra, also present in the room, replied Jarcor’s comment. “I wasn’t able to talk with Sabrina before she left, and we won’t be able to contact her while she’s on the road, but I’m sure she wouldn’t mind if you use the cabin,” she said, with a smile.
